State may seek closure of President Casino

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The Missouri Gaming Commission staff is recommending closure of the President Casino in St. Louis.

A letter from Gaming Commission executive director Gene McNary to casino owner Pinnacle Entertainment was part of a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Monday. The letter says commission staff will recommend at a meeting on Wednesday that the casino close as of July 1.

Jack Godfrey, Pinnacle's general counsel and executive vice president, says the company will pursue legal remedies to protect its license for the casino, the smallest in the St. Louis area.

The President has struggled financially since Pinnacle opened its much larger Lumiere Place Casino nearby. The Gaming Commission has ruled the company cannot move or replace the riverboat without reapplying for a license.